Good Things Happened: snow day, foot prints, and inside

Another weather event in Atlanta.  I posted an almost identical photo like this in mid-December.  It's what I do on the rare snow days:  stand at the front door, take a photo, and send it to everyone.  This one seems a bit more somber, but it was quiet and beautiful at 7am on Wednesday morning.

Neighbor Mike had to go to work in spite of treacherous road conditions - I loved the image of the foot prints down below.  We Southerners just don't travel well on snow and ice.  We try, but it often ends in mishaps.

My outdoor potted plants have been inside since last Friday evening.  It's been below freezing every day since then, but the geranium seems to love it and has graced me with a blossom.  A warm up is in sight.  The jungle can go outside on Sunday.  

I hope your weekend is full of warmth and light, my friends!

Snow angel, all in and Happy New Year

They said we would have 2 to 4 inches of snow in the Atlanta area overnight.  Much excitement around town, with everyone stocking up on food to get them through, but I think it turned out to be 3/10" - something like that.  There is a layer of ice that is not expected to melt until next week, so we'll muddle through that. 

But all of the outdoor potted plants got to come in.  The temperature won't be above freezing until next Tuesday, so in they stay until then.

And Happy New Year, my friends.  I made this for New Year's Day.  It's an old tradition of eating black-eyed peas, greens (such as the collards here), and pork (here we have sausage.)  The black-eyed peas symbolize coins and the collards symbolize green dollars.  The pork is for flavoring, I think.  I turn it into a stew. It's thought that if you eat these items on New Year's, you'll have prosperity for the coming year.  Here's hoping.  :)

Tranquility, what a beautiful morning and helping out

- Another tranquil photo from last weekend in the mountains.  This farmer has harvested his crops already, but I love the furrows left in the fields.  Not to mention the mountain range in the distance. 

- Someone is allowing camping on their property along the river (you can see campers in the background.)  What a beautiful morning that was!

- In Atlanta this morning the sky is gloomy - a result of Hurricane Matthew making its way up the coast (we are 362 miles, on a straight line, from coastal South Carolina).  Nothing good about this weather event, but I admire the people helping out others who had to evacuate from their homes, by taking them in.  My sister, in the Florida Panhandle (out of harm's way) is hosting beloved relatives from the east coast of Florida, until it is safe for them to go home.

I decided to reformat my photos a little, to make them bigger, so I don't have to say "click to enlarge" every time.  :)  Hope you have a good weekend. 

Let it snow, a novelty and feeder action

- Someone at my church's preschool had the foresight to decorate the bulletin board at the entrance with a "Let it snow" theme.  We got less than 1" of snow.  Woo hoo!  But it was fun to go home early on Friday just in case it got bad.  The mayor of Atlanta (a cautious man) sent a robocall to all of the businesses in the city that said to vacate by 3pm. 

- And here it is - Saturday morning.  It didn't even stick to the sidewalk.  :)  But I stepped outside around 11pm on Friday night and loved watching the flakes fall.  It's very rare for our area, so it's a novelty when it happens.  I feel for the people in the northeast - it's hard to imagine dealing with snow like that.

- My late mother's bird feeder got lots of action all day on Saturday.  They probably wonder what the heck happened and why didn't they just go to Costa Rica!

Meanwhile in Georgia..., the sun came out and at home

- I spotted this on facebook and laughed out loud.  Yes - after so many days of rain, it was amazing to see some sunshine. 

- My day was spent indoors on Wednesday, but I managed to get to the park near the office just in the nick of time after work.  There were so many runners, walkers, playground kids out - it was like a big celebration of the sun.  I got the tail end of it, but managed to get back to my car just before the sun completely shut down for the day.

- And I was thinking how cheerful this corner of my kitchen looked this morning, so I snapped a photo of it.  I got the aluminum tray at an antique shop in Murphy, North Carolina last summer.  I love its etched vine pattern.  And when I got home with it, I couldn't think where it would go, so I put my hodge podge of sugar dish and cream pitchers on it.  It's always bright in my kitchen.  :)

Happy weekend, my friends!  I hope yours is lovely.

Smiling faces, remnants and not stressed out

It's pretty telling about the week I've had when all I have to post about is a sandwich, cheese and bad traffic.  :)  But here goes anyway!

-Tuesday was National Sandwich Day, so I went to Jersey Mike's - my favorite submarine sandwich near my office.  This is the #4 regular served "Mike's Way" (onions, lettuce, tomatoes, olive oil blend, red wine vinegar and spices).  The #4 isn't on the menu, but was the featured sub a couple of years ago, so they still make it for me.  The employees behind the counter were all smiling at me when I walked in on Tuesday and the lead sandwich maker said, "#4?" and pointed up to the sign above him.  It's the featured sub once again.  :)

- I like to go through the cheese "remnant" basket in the Whole Food cheese shop.  It's a great way to sample interesting looking cheeses at a low price.  Wednesday lunch was Cotswold cheese - I always seem to love cheese from the UK. "Cotswold is a variation of Double Gloucester, which has been supplemented with chopped onions and chives for added flavour. Cotswold originates in Gloucestershire County of England."  It was delicious and a perfect lunch with a cup of soup on a rainy day. 

- Friend Caroline and I were grumbling last night about driving in rainy traffic this week (she referred to us as "the grumpy travelers" to another friend)  :).  It took me 1.5 hours to go 20 miles yesterday morning and the same in the evening - pretty common in the rain and not the worst commute in the Atlanta area I've heard of, by any means.  In the morning, a song by 21 Pilots came on the radio and I really listened to the lyrics.  It's called "Stressed Out" - the link to the video is here.  I love that their parents are included in the video!  Somehow this song made my morning go better, as I passed accidents and arrived safely at work (only 1/2 hour late) in the rain.

It's supposed to rain until the middle of next week.  I think I might go to Jersey Mike's for lunch again today - where smiling faces always await me.  Have a great weekend, my friends!

Flowers all the time, where there's tea..., and family things

The weather outside has been a bit dreary for the last several days, with nothing but rain or drizzle, so I haven't been getting out much.  This morning, when I woke before the alarm, I was thinking about my blog post for today and how there was no photo for it.  So I found a few items around my home with my camera in the 5am hour that qualify as Good Things:

 - I had this beautiful bouquet on the dining table with the food and wine, surrounded by candles, last Sunday night when my book group came over to discuss Joyce Carol Oates.  Friend Susan remarked, at the end of the evening, that she was sitting where she could see those flowers during the discussion and that it's nice that I'll be able to enjoy those all week.  I didn't tell her, but you know, that I usually have flowers - not just for special occasions like that.  Here they are in the kitchen in front of my grandmother's ice bucket, where I can see them when I come in the door from outside.

- I thought someone might ask about the Darjeeling tea container since there is a glimpse of it above.  It's new - purchased during the holidays - when I was supposed to be looking for Christmas gifts for the family.  I love Darjeeling tea - it's my favorite - so I had to have this when I spotted it in a shop in Madison, Georgia.  I wondered about the quote, so Googled it, and it comes from a play called Sweet Lavender, performed in London in 1888 by the actor Sir Arthur Wing Pinero.  The play was "so popular that it ran for an extraordinary (for the time), 683 performances."  The character Horace, played by Pinero, "utters the famous line, "Where there is tea, there is hope.""  True that.

 - And I found a great frame for the Good Things postcard Granny Annie sent me last year.  I love how it's floating in acrylic.  There it is among framed photos of my family and with my Quaich (pronounced "Quake", from the Gaelic word "Cuach"), a traditional Scottish drinking vessel used to offer a guest a cup of welcome and also as a farewell drink, usually a dram of whisky.  These days they are used for celebrations like weddings and christenings in Scotland or those having an association with Scotland by heritage like me.  I like to keep it there with family things and this postcard fits right in.  (Click to enlarge.)

I hear there will be sun today.  Come on sun!  I hope that you have a great weekend, my friends!

Pumpkin view, wandering no more and fall weather

- The weather in the metropolitan Atlanta area is still warmish.  I'm still clinging to my open toed slide on sandals.  But this scene in front of my favorite antiques shop just says fall to me, even with the remnants of July 4th in view. 

- Loved this sign on the door.  I asked about the wandering shop kitty Mr. Whiskers, who has been moved to the residence upstairs.  She says he is loving the recently built upstairs porch and was basking in the sun there on this morning.

- October is usually my favorite month, but I'm still waiting for some crisp weather.  It's raining here this morning and I'm mindful of the bad weather in other parts of the country yesterday and today, so no complaints here!

Red level, hazy and signs of independence

- My brother-in-law in Virginia collects antique levels, such as this one that I spotted at the antique shop I love so much in Lilburn, Georgia.  He has dozens of them hanging on the wall of his home office and usually polishes up one for the odd gift to the kids (graduations, weddings, etc.).  I emailed these photos to him because that's the first thing he looks for when he goes into an antique shop, so now I keep my eye out for them, too. 

- The haze in the sky in Atlanta yesterday was due to dust from the Saharan desert!  And I thought it was just smog.  So interesting that a touch of Africa has floated into the southeastern US via the gulf winds.  There's more about this here.

- The same antique shop, referred to above, Antiques in Old Town, has these old American flags draped from the ceiling.  The owner told me they've been there for 20 years.  I'm seeing lots of flags around this week, due to the July 4th holiday coming up.  I'll be celebrating in another favorite place, the house by the river I love so much. 

Just one post this week.  I'll be back next week with lots of photos, I hope.  I hope your week and weekend are filled with good things!

Happy Day, hugs and the weather is a 10

- It's looking as if just me and some trucks are on the way to work at 7am.  :)  But have a look a the message on the back of the dump truck.  (Hint - see post title.)  We were at a dead standstill, so I was able to snap the shot with my phone.  Click to enlarge. 

- There is a big family wedding this weekend and everyone is coming to it.  I haven't seen or hugged a family member since February 9, until last night when my Shenandoah Valley sister and brother-in-law came into Atlanta to stay with me until we leave for the wedding on Saturday.  I was hug deprived, and now I'm not.

- The weather clearing up just in time for a bride to walk down the aisle.  And now they can have a blue sky reception, too.

Life has been very busy the last several days - I think I'm way behind on blog visiting and comments, but can be around some today, I hope.  Have a lovely weekend, everyone!

Silvery world, snow woman and happy V day!

- It was a silvery world when I got up yesterday morning.  A layer of snow fell during the night and made it all so beautiful.

- I cropped my friend's daughter out of the photo for her privacy, but thought you'd like her "snow woman" as much as I do.

 - And Happy Valentine's Day, friends!  This skeletal Valentine lady was spotted in a thrift shop in tiny Bowman, Georgia, where my dad grew up.  I liked this shop.  Who wouldn't like a shop that sells china and sombreros in the same area + has a startling Valentine greeter at the front door? 

I just had to post some more snow pics - it's that unusual in this area.  I've enjoyed my days at home, but will head into the office this morning.  Hope you have a wonderful weekend, my friends!

Morning light, consider the lilies and socked in

- My church held its annual Kirking of the Tartans service last Sunday.  This photo was from Saturday morning, when a group of church friends and I hung the tartans (borrowed from the local St. Andrew's Society.)  I loved how it all looked in the morning light when we were done.

- These are the lilies from the bouquet I showed in this post.   They were crowding that bouquet after they finally started opening up, so I pulled them out and gave them their own vase.  They look so pretty, I think. 

- That is ice, not snow.  Yes - we are socked in again, but this time local officials were overly cautious and closed the Atlanta area way earlier than the last time.  I've got that Sue Grafton book to finish and tons of kale to figure into recipes, so I'm all good here.  Cheers, y'all!

Home!, snowfall and stories from the day

- We are jokingly referring to the freakish snow that came to Atlanta yesterday as "carmageddon" (see photo below), so it was with great relief for me when my employers made the decision to close yesterday around noon.  They rock!  I was home by 1:30pm.  This is the photo I texted to my worried sister in Florida yesterday to let her know I was home. 

- This photo was posted on facebook by friend Rebecca T., who left her office in downtown Atlanta at 3pm and reported that she had traveled two miles in two hours.  She finally made it to a friend's house at 5am this morning.  There are lots of stories on the news like that - so wonderful that so many people offered their homes, rides, roadside assistance, etc.  

- If there is blame for the traffic gridlock that you have surely seen on the news in the aftermath of only 2.5 inches of snow, it's to the governor of Georgia and the mayor of Atlanta, who took a gamble and didn't close schools yesterday (thousands of children ended up sleeping at school), didn't treat the streets and didn't offer up more warnings.  Too many people took to the streets at the same time after they started getting icy.  The governor portrayed the storm as "unexpected."  Nope - not true.  I, Lynn from Good Things Happened, have known about this from TV weather reports since Monday.  Hmmm....

- But we like to focus on the positive here, so here are three good things that happened from yesterday:

- Neighbor Rhonda sweeping off the snow and making a path to our cars (not that we are going anywhere today, but you never know.)  When I thanked her for doing that, she smiled and said, "Listen to the quiet!"  And there was indeed a beautiful quietness in the snow fall.

- Retired Atlanta Braves third baseman Chipper Jones went out and rescued current first baseman Freddie Freeman on his four wheeler after reading on Twitter that Freeman was stranded on the road home (as so many were.)  That story here.  :)

- A baby girl was born on the side of I-285 in a car yesterday at 5pm, when her parents couldn't get through the gridlocked traffic to the hospital in time.  A police officer stopped to check on them, sensing something was up and said the father was calm, the mother did great and the father delivered his daughter entirely by himself.  The officer was able to contribute first aid supplies before the paramedics arrived to get them all to the hospital.  She'll have the best birthday story ever!

And I get to stay home today.  Yay!  Hope you all are having a wonderful day. 

Proof of the cold, best jacket ever and at home

- And it was about 5 degrees when I got up yesterday morning.  This is the dusty car dashboard showing the temperature when I was arriving at work.  What makes this a good thing?  Nothing really - it's just a novelty for the state of Georgia.  :)

- I bought this down coat in December 2010 for my first trip to New York City and have never needed to wear it since.  It sure is coming in handy right now, even though it's just 16 degrees this morning (which seems so much better.)

- The fern has been inside for a couple of weeks now, since the temperature has been dropping during the night below 32 degrees (its usual home being the back porch.)  I crack myself up with my fern photo shoot at 5:45am, but it does give me an opportunity to notice things pictured that I am so accustomed to seeing, that I don't really see them anymore.  The two throw pillows on the couch came from my mom and dad's house - I tossed them there when I brought them home and there they have stayed.  And the blue vase in the bookcase was one of their wedding gifts in 1948.  I've blogged about that clock before - neither sister wanted it, but I did, and I think it makes a beautiful addition to my bookcase. 

Thanks for all the stay warm wishes from Monday - I did just that, as you can see.  The really good things represented here are:  Thankfulness for employment, multiple coats to keep me warm and a warm, safe home.  Hope you are having a great day!

The weather outside, hometown pic and cheerfully smiling

Three images that have been hanging out on my computer desktop.  This seems like a good day to post them.  I will call this Random Photo Wednesday.  :)

- This cartoon was drawn by a weatherman, Mike Francis, on Atlanta's TV channel 11, and posted on facebook.  It's exactly that the weather is like.  Last Friday, temps were in the 70s, and I was walking around with no coat.  It dropped 30 degrees during the night and on Saturday I had to bundle up.  It's 29 degrees this morning, but might be shorts weather again tomorrow.  Go figure.  :)

- My hometown of Milledgeville, Georgia, ca. 1921.  The train used to go right through that main street of town.  And you can still see signs of those tracks in the street.  The business pictured there, J.C. Grant & Co., is the oldest business still existing in Milledgeville and is still in that same location.  (But looks very different now.)  Click to enlarge.

- This smiling lady was my great grandmother.  She was posing for the camera while picking tomatoes.  I want to have this one enlarged and framed, I just haven't done it yet.  I like to think of her smiling down from the family photo wall in my home office.

A rare sunny day, tunnel and train trestle

- It has been such a rainy summer here that this bit of sun was welcome on Wednesday afternoon, the only afternoon this week I was able to walk in the park.  I'm getting well acquainted with Leslie Sansone and her "power walk" DVD that I do at home on rainy days.

- This wooden "tunnel" goes through the train trestle.  There's a children's playground on the other side.  See the train going by above?

- And just at the entrance to that little tunnel, I looked up and snapped this image of the train going by overhead.  This was no passenger train, it was full of train cars with goods that make our lives better.  I love to hear the rumbling when it goes by.

I'm looking forward to seeing family this weekend.  It's Monroe's first birthday!  I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

Shy kittens, cheery bag and a lovely rain

- The back door area of the antique shop I love to stop in at after my walks at the Greenway park on the weekend.  Some startled kittens retreated to the shadows as I drove up, lowered my car window and snapped the photo.  If you click to enlarge, you can just see the orange kitten's face to the left of the white pot.

- When I downloaded this photo, I named it "cheery bag" - purchased last night at Whole Foods, because I forgot to bring one I had already.  It is made from 100% recycled plastic and only cost $.99.  How about that?

- For a bit of realism, this is my home computer desktop as it looked when I booted up my computer at 5am.  I noted the weather icon telling me it was raining and as the coffee brewed, I stepped outside to my covered front door (as is my custom) to see a soft, but steady rain falling.  I stood there a moment and took it in, just me and the rain.

Thinking outside the box, catch up and like the old days

- So wonderful that someone thought to leave a space for this square pot when they were putting in these steps.

- Something going wonky with the outside air conditioning unit leads to a nice, long catch up phone conversation with the repairman's wife (both friends from church.)

- Open windows, gentle rain, dusted off fan (its hum making a nice background noise for sleep) - making what could have been a hot night, relatively comfortable.  It reminds me of childhood visits to my grandparents' homes during the summer.